


Lessons

by Femvamp



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-07
Updated: 2016-03-12
Packaged: 2018-05-18 17:24:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 10,877
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5936713
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Femvamp/pseuds/Femvamp
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A Story I wrote and put on Fanfiction.Net that makes one of the BAU an UNSUB.  I picked Emily Prentiss so this story is AU.  No real time frame  but Rossi is a main focus so some time after he shows up.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

They were always the same. She was self aware enough to admit that. That was the one thing her life had taught her. Know yourself because no one else will care. She knew herself well and she knew it always came back to the same things. The blonde hair. The blue eyes. The All American popular girls. Sometimes they were cheerleaders; sometimes they played sports themselves but they always looked down at her.

And she made them pay for that.

Emily Prentiss had all the things money could buy and none of the things it couldn't. The people who pretended to be her friends did as only so long as her mother paid them or their parents. Once the perks stopped so did the friendships and Emily eventually stopped caring. She preferred to be on her own anyway.

She could watch them better that way.

The first time happened by accident. She had gotten so angry at the girl, the head cheerleader who had made a name for herself as a bully who everyone wanted as their friend. Emily didn't care and that pissed the girl off. Soon Emily's reputation had been ruined and her mother had believed the rumors. It didn't help that she had already gotten pregnant and had an abortion. Having a reputation as a loose girl wouldn't be good for her mother's career aspirations.

That's why she did it or at least that's why she thought she did it then. Killing the girl had been an accident. She had only gone to confront her about the lies. She had no interest in that stupid football player and she wanted the girl to tell the truth. Sticking the knife in the girl's chest had been an accident. So had kissing her.

The next day the police came and Emily thought she would end up in jail but her mother gave her an alibi. No one would dispute the Ambassador Prentiss. Emily thought for a moment that her mother had actually cared; that she actually loved her but then she had ended up at yet another school and another girl had ended up dead.

This time Emily had hid her body better.

This time no one came knocking on her door.

That's how it had begun for Emily. More then a decade had gone by and it still came down to the blonde hair and blue eyes. It still came down to those girls who would laugh at her and call her a dork. She would make them pay.

She would make them want her.

She would make them love her.

And then she would kill them.

Because if her mother had taught her anything it was to take care of her own needs first; because no one else would.

And Emily had learned that lesson well.


	2. Chapter 2

JJ checked herself in the rear view mirror before she left her car. It wasn't like she was a vain person, the exact opposite really; she wasn't checking her makeup she was making sure there wasn't any unusual smile on her face.

She had met someone the night before. Someone she liked a lot. It was only a first date; wasn't even that really; they had met at a bar and had gotten to talking and then they had gotten to other things. Nothing too much; she wasn't that kind of girl. Nothing more then a kiss; maybe a little tongue.

She was blushing just thinking about it. That had to stop. The people she worked with would catch on to her blushing or smiling or daydreaming. They were some of the best minds, the best profilers in the world. They would see through her in a minute if she let them.

And then the interrogation would begin.

And JJ didn't want to be interrogated.

She liked her privacy. She always had. Her work was her work. Her private life was her private life. Not that they didn't mesh sometimes. The people she worked with were her friends; family really, but that didn't mean they had to know everything.

A girl had to keep some mystery after all.

That's why she rushed into the BAU and past the desks where Reid, Morgan and Greenaway sat. She ignored the friendly barb that Morgan was well known for and headed for her office. She needed more time to get her emotions in check.

"I think someone did get lucky last night." Morgan turned to Elle Greenaway.

"Will you stop it, not everything is about sex." Elle smiled.

"JJ is dating someone?" Reid asked, "Did I know this?"

"No." Elle answered, "None of us do. And we don't."

"Just like we don't know that JJ and I have the same taste in women."

"Be that as it may." Elle paused, "Who JJ dates or has sex with is none of our business."

"I just want her to know she can tell us."

"And she will when she is ready."

"Wait." Reid paused, "JJ is gay? Did I know this?"

Elle shook her head, "Yes, Reid you did."

"Oh." Reid said and then went back to what he was reading.

JJ smiled as when she entered her office and checked her cell phone. There was a text message from her date from the night before.

_I'll see u 2nite. Emily_


	3. Chapter 3

Emily smiled as she looked at the clock on her apartment wall for the third time. Things hadn't gone exactly as planed with JJ but Emily was a patient women. JJ had a job after all that kept her all hours. JJ had canceled their date last minute and at first Emily had been upset. The girl she had been cutting into at the time had died a quick death. Far less painless then she had wanted which left her feeling….off.

Emily knew it was a mistake to take the call from JJ when she was with another woman. It sent all the wrong signals; all the wrong appearances and Emily needed to show JJ the right appearances. JJ was after-all and FBI agent. This had to go down perfectly.

JJ would be her most magnificent conquest ever.

It was almost time. JJ wasn't going to be a quick kill like the other girl had been. If she wanted this to work it would take more finesse and Emily could do finesse. Her mother had taught her how to say the right words. Do the proper things. Emily could seduce someone in her sleep.

This was going to be fun.

Emily got up off the couch and put down her copy of Kilgore Trout and walked to the guest bedroom. Lying on a bed was a women tied up. She was unconscious almost dead. Emily had kept her alive longer then she intended; longer then she usual kept her conquests alive. Not to mention she usually didn't bring them home. It wasn't exactly the safest move but Emily was sure no one would come by; no one would notice. No one ever did.

Emily needed the women to stop the nervousness that was going through her. Emily hated that feeling. It made her feel like she was little girl again and her mother was scolding her for not being good enough or the other girls were telling her she was weird. She needed to rid herself of the feeling and cutting into the girl; killing her right before she would see JJ would make the feelings go away.

At least for a little while.

The bad feelings always came back.

Emily had wondered why for a long time but then shrugged it off. The feelings were a part of her and killing women made them go away; even for a short while.

It was enough.

Emily had no misconceptions about JJ.

JJ would be a victim of her needs like all the others.

It was only a matter of time before her needs took over again and JJ would feel her wrath. She would learn her lesson. She would learn that Emily was not someone to be laughed at. To be mocked. To be shunned. Like everyone else JJ would learn.

Just like all the others had.

Just like the women lying below her was about to.


	4. Chapter 4

JJ grimaced as her cell phone rang. Her date with Emily had been going better then she ever imagined. Emily had taken her to a beautiful restaurant and they had spent hours talking. JJ never had so much fun on a first date in her entire life.

She had been worried that when she cancelled the previous attempt at a first date Emily would be mad but it barely fazed her. Then JJ worried that maybe Emily didn't feel the same things she was feeling but when Emily called her on the second day of the new case JJ's worries went away.

After that JJ called Emily every night and they talked over the phone for hours. JJ almost showed up late to the police station they were using as a base of operation to catch a serial killer who cut up young men one day because she had stayed up talking to Emily.

It took them five days to catch the serial killer. He had killed three other people in the time they had been working on it. The last one had hit JJ hard and Emily had offered to postpone the date once again but JJ told her no. She needed a night out.

Even when Elle and Garcia had begged her for a girls' night out she told them she had other plans. As much as she liked spending time with her two best friends she had another kind of girls' night in mind; not that she told them that.

Emily knew exactly how to treat a girl without seeming overbearing. JJ liked that. JJ also liked the occasional awkwardness about her. She got the distinct impression that Emily had been a bit of nerd in school and still kept some of the awkwardness. She seemed to not have a clue how beautiful she really was.

JJ liked that.

Emily had just finished paying for dinner when JJ's cell phone rang. They had another case. This one looked bad. Even from the short conversation she had with a local police officer she knew. She always could feel the bad ones coming.

And this was going to be a bad one.

Emily had understood she even made a joke about the trials of dating an FBI agent. The joke made JJ's heart swell. She would love to be dating Emily Prentiss.

As she walked into the FBI building she went straight to her computer and opened her email. The local Detective she had been talking to had sent her a file on three dead young women who had been found murdered. They all looked the same.

Blonde hair.

Blue eyes.

And a stab wound straight through the heart.

This was going to be a bad one.


	5. Chapter 5

They had found some of her conquests. When Emily had found out it had almost been enough to make her panic. She had always had a well developed fight or flight reflex. Usually she picked flight. There was nothing keeping her in Virginia; nothing but Jennifer Jareau. The smart move was to abandon her plans at seduction and move on the easier prey; easier conquests but Emily really didn't want to.

She liked JJ and knew that killing her would make her. It would be the most glorious conquest of her life. It would be a work of art. There was no way she was abandoning it now. She would just have to be careful; and Emily knew how to be careful.

Keeping her activities from her mother had kept them both safe. Emily knew as long as what she did didn't affect her mother; the former Ambassador Prentiss would protect her simply because she was protecting her own reputation as well. Emily had learned that lesson a long time ago. Keeping mommy happy kept the police from knocking down her door. There was also the fact that Emily was smart and she learned from her mistakes. And pissing off her mother was a mistake even though a part of her wanted so badly to get caught just to have her mother see who she really was.

No pretense for the Prentiss family.

It would almost be worth it.

Almost.

Emily knew she would miss her conquests. She would miss the hunt. She would miss everything about it. If the police found out they would stop her and Emily wasn't ready to be stopped. She still needed them too much. No, it wasn't time yet.

She wasn't ready to stop.

She wasn't ready to run.

She was going to make JJ her greatest conquest ever, she was going to make JJ want her. She was going to make JJ love her. And she was going to do this while JJ and her team of profilers were hunting her.

She was going to kill JJ.

She was going to kill JJ and leave her for them to find.

Emily had heard of the BAU. When she was still trying to live a normal life she had even attempted to get into the FBI but they had turned her down. Even her mother's influence couldn't get her in. Well, this was too perfect. Too much fun on too many levels.

Emily wasn't just going to make JJ her next conquest, she was going to teach the BAU a lesson they would never forget.


	6. Chapter 6

It was like looking in a mirror. They had found three women with stab wounds on the outskirts on Quantico. They had been dumped in different areas almost haphazardly. According to Rossi the UNSUB had very little connection to the bodies. It was just a body dump and he wasn't coming back.

The three women were in relatively good condition. According to the ME there had been no sign of sexual assault pre or post mortem. Although there were signs of recent sexual activity on two of the bodies it did look to be consensual. The bodies also looked in pristine condition. No bruising. No torture. Nothing to show signs of sadism; that is if you didn't count the multiple stab wounds in their chests.

No one commented how much they all looked like JJ. They didn't need to. It wasn't like it was the first time she fit an UNSUB's type. JJ knew that her team would be a little more over protective then normal until the UNSUB was caught. That fact was both endearing and annoying. Endearing because they really were her family. Annoying because she was an FBI agent too, and the best shot of the group, discounting Hotch of course.

Reid had counted the stab wounds on the victim's bodies. Each of the bodies had at least twelve. One of them had twenty-two. The truly scary thing was that it was always the final stab wound that was the fatal one.

"I wonder what twenty-two did to piss off the UNSUB?" Morgan asked the room.

"Whatever it was, it was enough to change his routine. She's the only one who doesn't show signs of sexual activity."

"Wait, I thought he didn't rape them first." Garcia piped in.

Since the case was local Garcia was brought in to all the discussions. She like JJ wasn't a profiler but occasionally did bring up points that no one else thought of. Both women were incredibly adept at their individual jobs. They were the best of the best and something about this case made everyone circle the wagons.

"He didn't." Hotch continued, "It may be a coincidence but we're going at this from every angle. Garcia check for any crimes with similar MO's."

"How far back do you want me to go?" She asked already starting to type.

"At least ten years." Rossi piped in, "These aren't the UNSUB's first kills."

"Alrighty then, a nut job with a fetish for knives and stabbing people with them."

"Actually there is a form of sadomasochism in which one finds sexual gratification through penetration of another person, most commonly by stabbing or cutting the body with sharp objects." Reid spoke for the first time.

"Piquerism" Elle commented.

"Yes, but people who suffer from it usually target the breasts, buttocks, or groin." Rossi said to the room.

"And this UNSUB targeted the chest, or more precisely the heart." Hotch nodded more toe himself then to anyone else.

"Does that mean something?" JJ asked the room.

"Everything means something; we just don't know what yet."

Emily smiled when she saw the light on her answering machine blink. She only gave this number out to her conquests so it must be JJ. She knew JJ was on a case, her case, but that didn't stop her from wanting to see her. To see where the case was heading.

The last thing she heard was that they thought the killer was a man. This made Emily both angry and joyful. Angry because no man could come up with a plan like she had come up with. Men just weren't bright enough. They were pretty to look at but they were nothing more then arm candy. Something to make her mother happy and keep the world away so she could do what she really loved.

So she could continue her work.

Her seductions.

So she could create her masterpiece.

A masterpiece that JJ was going to help her created, whether she knew it or not.


	7. Chapter 7

After almost a week of finding next to nothing, JJ thought that maybe she had picked the wrong case. Maybe she had allowed her feelings for Emily to get her to pick a case so close to home. Not that it mattered really, she had only seen the woman once since the case had begun.

It was Friday and almost six O'clock and Hotch had all but ordered everyone to go home. The time wasn't the issue, on a case they would all work whatever hours they needed to. It was just that no one had any new leads. Hotch had told them not to come back until Monday unless they had a new lead, which basically meant a new body. That's what they needed.

JJ had called Emily almost immediately after she had gotten home and the two of them had made plans. JJ hoped her luck had changed and maybe she could get through a date with Emily without the job getting in the way. She was almost convinced she was cursed. That some force didn't want her to go out with Emily Prentiss, and it was really pissing her off.

The doorbell rang and precisely eight. Emily was nothing if not punctual. After a few minutes of small talk they were both ready and they head out on their date. JJ couldn't believe how good it was going. Almost an hour into dinner and no one had called her, her phone hadn't made a beep. She was half tempted to check it to make sure it wasn't broken however she instead decided not to look a gift horse in the mouth. She needed this date.

Emily on the other hand was slighting perplexed. The date was and wasn't going as planned. Usually by now she would be craving a kill; or more precisely she would be craving killing JJ and yet she wasn't. There was something missing and she didn't know what that was. It was rather annoying.

"Why don't we go back to my place for a night cap?" JJ smiled.

Emily smiled back. JJ wasn't the first of her conquests to want to spend the night with her. Sometimes she even did. The sex was good but it wasn't what she wanted. It wasn't what she needed. Sex was just something to scratch an itch. What she needed was something a little more….unusual.

"Of course." Emily replied.

After that it was a short drive back to JJ's house. Emily was half tempted to take her back to her apartment. Her conquests usually liked going back to her place. Her mother had set it up for her, totally not to her tastes but it did make the ladies eye's pop out. They thought they were snagging a good one; a rich one. Some of them thought that they had found someone that would take care of them.

And she would, not just in the way they thought.

However JJ didn't seem to care or notice that she had money. She had even offered to pay for dinner even though Emily knew that JJ would have a tough time affording the five star place she had picked out. Emily called it her version of a last meal for the conquests that she dated. JJ offering to pay was…interesting.

"So this is my place." JJ said suddenly getting awkward.

Emily just smiled and took JJ by the hand. "Are we really here for drinks or do you want to show me to your bedroom?"

JJ blushed and Emily thought she had read her signs wrong. Sometime she did. Emily knew she lacked empathy or anything resembling real emotion so sometimes she misread other people's emotions.

"Its upstairs." JJ whispered.

Emily just smiled and followed JJ to her bedroom. She would have sex with JJ and then she would get off her own very special way. It was how it worked for her she had no misconceptions about it.

Tonight was the night.

Tomorrow JJ would be dead.


	8. Chapter 8

"Where's JJ?"

Everyone had arrived back at Quantico a little earlier then they normally would. They had all spent the weekend pretending to relax. What they were really doing was checking their phones every minute waiting for the other shoe to drop. Waiting for another body to show up.

None did.

"I have no idea." Elle said simply to Morgan as they got their morning cup of coffee.

"Maybe she met that woman of hers and actually did what Hotch told us to and had a good time."

Elle just shook her head, Morgan was a great guy but he had a one track mind sometimes. That one track mind did however make him very good at his job. It probably helped him a lot of bomb squad because it sure as hell did in BAU.

"Everyone there's another body." Rossi poke his head into the makeshift kitchen, "Have either of you heard from JJ?"

"No." Elle frowned, "I'll try calling her." Elle frowned again when the phone went to voice mail."

"Should we be worried?" Morgan asked the room.

"Probably not. She' probably just running late."

"Hotch wants us in the conference room." Reid smiled as he entered the kitchen, "Hey has anyone seen JJ?"

"A body was found early this morning by a local police department. They sent over the details to us. Elle take Morgan and check with the ME. Make sure the mo is same. The rest of us will head over to the crime scene."

"What about me sir?" Garcia piped in.

"When we get the specifics I'm going to need you to cross reference all the information of the victims to help us get a profile. We don't have a name yet but when we do."

"Got it. I'll be ready."

Elle, Morgan, Garcia and Reid quickly left the conference room to get ready for their duties leaving Hotch and Rossi behind.

"Have you heard anything from JJ?"

"No." Hotch said simply.

"She's probably just running late, it happens."

Hotch looked at his friend and then walked out of the conference room himself. Rossi knew Hotch was worried. He had taken it upon himself to be counselor for the team and right now they needed one. Rossi hoped he was wrong. He really really hoped he was wrong, but he had been working at BAU for a couple years now and JJ had never been late before. Never once.

Morgan and Elle walked into the morgue and toward the table where the medical examiner was working. "I was told not to start until you got here." He paused and lifted a white off the body lying on the table.

Hotch, Rossi, and Reid walked through a now quiet park and shook hands with the Detective on scene, "It was grisly scene. Blonde woman, no id found stabbed to death. No murder weapon found at the scene,"

As the four men walked to a medium sized group of police officers Rossi spoke, "This is probably just a body dump."

"Yes but we haven't been to one so soon after a kill. The last three were months old before we found them."

"We don't know how recent." Rossi said simply, "You know it's probably not her."

"Have you called her again?"

"Twice. No answer."

"It's not her Hotch."

Hotch just nodded and walked to the scene.

\----------------------------------------------

Emily paced like a wild tiger. This was wrong it had all gone wrong. She didn't understand it. It wasn't supposed to be like this. This wasn't how it went.

Emily continued to pace and then stopped in front of a woman lying on a metal table.

"This isn't how it was supposed to go." Emily screamed at the woman, "THIS ISN'T RIGHT!" Without another word Emily slammed the knife through the woman's heart.


	9. Chapter 9

For as good as the weekend had been, Monday had been just that bad. JJ had woken up twenty minutes later then she was supposed to. She had forgotten to set her alarm clock. Only when she was showered and dressed and checked her cell phone did she realize that it hadn't charged.

JJ only remembered her land line when she was in her car driving to Quantico. She hardly used it, preferring to give everyone her cell phone number. Occasionally she did use her landline for personal business and the occasional booty call but mostly she gave everyone her cell phone; it was easier that way.

Friday night had been one of the best nights of her life. She had invited Emily back to her place and they had wild passionate monkey sex and afterwards she had fallen asleep in Emily's arms. When she had woken up the next morning for a brief moment she thought Emily had left but she hadn't. It hadn't occurred to her how much she liked Emily until that moment. The thought that she had been a one night stand for the woman had hurt her more then she could say.

It wasn't the idea of a one night stand. She had them herself. She had escaped out of some nameless woman's bed like a thief in the night more then once. Emily was different though. JJ had shied away from any relationship that went deeper then friends with benefits but with Emily she could almost see it.

When she walked into the BAU everyone else was gone. She figured they were at a crime scene so she went to Garcia to check in. She hadn't been expecting Garcia to jump up and give her a frantic hug. That's when Garcia told her that everyone had been worried about her. She calmed Garcia down and then went looking for Hotch. She had found him at the latest crime scene. The body had already been taken away which JJ was glad for. She didn't need to see yet another blonde haired blue eyed girl dead in front of her.

Someone had issues.

They had discovered nothing from the scene. It was just a dump sight and whoever dumped the body was careful. Nothing new was learned. They just hoped the others had found something useful.

When they all arrived back at the BAU Elle, Morgan and Reid had been happy to see her still alive. She had explained yet again how her phone had never charged. Morgan joked a bit but she knew he was just happy that whoever was killing these women hadn't killed her.

It wasn't the first time she fit a type.

It wouldn't be the last.

But it didn't make things any easier for them.

They had all started talking about what they had learned from the latest body when Garcia had walked into the room carrying some folders.

"I think I might have found something sir."

"What is it baby-girl." Morgan came over and took the folders that Garcia was carrying.

"You told me to look into the victim's background."

"Did you find anything?" Hotch asked.

"All of them except for one were gay."

Morgan looked through the folders and JJ noticed that he looked at her for a long moment, "What about the other one?"

"She was the one stabbed twenty-two times." Morgan said suddenly.

Someone had issues.


	10. Chapter 10

Emily sat at her mother's dinner table and thought of all the things she would rather be doing. Today was their annual "we're family we eat together" dinner. Neither of them wanted to be there. They both had better things to do, but it was a pretense of family that they had gotten into the habit of.

"So Emily, you remember Tomas Wayneright?"

"Yes, mother."

And Emily did, the boy wasn't anything of any consequence, it was only his money and long family name that made him worth noting. That and the fact that he had a sister.. A sister that had once been one of her conquests.

"It is a pity about his sister." Emily's mother Elizabeth said absentmindedly, "Anyway Tomas is looking for a date to a big fund raiser and I told him the two of you should talk."

Emily occasionally wondered how much her mother really knew about her extra-curricular actives. Sometimes Emily believed she knew full well what she did at night. Other times she wondered if her mother was in a full on denial. Either way Emily found it humorous that her mother still insisted on setting her up on dates with eligible men. She usually did go on them, just to make her mother happy, not that they went anwhere. Her mother knew that too.

Pretense.

It was all they had anymore.

(********************-*******************)

"So all the women were gay?" Rossi said as much to himself as to the others.

"All except Rene Jameson." Morgan looked down at one of the files he had been handed.

"The girl stabbed twenty-two times?"

"Yes." Morgan picked up the latest file, "Garcia hasn't had time to do a background check on the latest victim but she was only stabbed four times and showed signs of sexual activity."

"Consensual sex." Elle said before anyone could ask.

"You do know this means that we might be looking at a woman here?" Rossi said more to Hotch then to anyone else.

"Or it could be a man who doesn't like lesbians." JJ said simply.

"If it was a man who was killing lesbians, he'd be angrier at the women who had sex then the one who didn't." Hotch said to the room.

"And if it was him having the sex." Elle paused, "It wouldn't be consensual."

JJ nodded. She had figured that too but she wanted to be sure. She wasn't a profiler but something about this case had suddenly screamed woman unsub to her. She just needed confirmation.

Everyone was dismissed to go on their duties. Elle and Morgan were sent to the latest victim's home to see if she really was gay. Reid was working on a geographical profile of the unsub hoping to find a location. Rossi was helping him. JJ was about to get up and see Garcia when Hotch called her into his office.

"JJ, under normal circumstances I wouldn't be asking this." Hotch paused nervously, "You're private life is your own. However….."

JJ sighed. He knew. Stupid profilers.

"You have a question?" JJ asked resigned to the awkward conversation they were about to have.

"If we are dealing with a woman killing other women…." He paused, "I could use your insight. There is a lot of hate in those stab wounds. It's possible that the unsub gets her sexual release from the killing."

"Then why have sex with them first?" JJ asked honesty interested.

"It could be part of the ritual." Hotch paused and then thought about that. "If it was a man I say impotence but I don't think that's the case. I think the sex is more about power. Dominance. I think we have an alpha female who…." Hotch paused again and picked up his phone, "Garcia I want you to check the victim's history for signs of them being alpha females. Yes. Thank you."

After he got off the phone JJ smiled, "So who else knows about me?"

Hotch smiled, "Do you really want me to answer that?"

"Elle, Garcia and Morgan." JJ shook her head. "Reid?"

"Yes, Reid knows."

"Rossi?"

"Who knows what Rossi knows?" Hotch snickered, "I don't even know if he knows all that he knows."

JJ laughed, "So what do you need me to tell you?"


	11. Chapter 11

JJ took a deep breath and steadied herself when she walked out of Hotch's office. Everyone knew and had known for a very long time now. It really shouldn't have surprised her, they were profilers after all. It was both disconcerting and heartwarming. Disconcerting because JJ liked keeping her public life and private life separate. Even though she considered the people she worked with as family there were just some things she liked to keep to herself – for herself. Her sex life was one of them. Heartwarming because none of them really cared. Yes, she was in for some good natured ribbing but all her fears of rejection and condemnation were unfounded. Her friends wouldn't reject her.

JJ smiled at her friends as she walked into the small kitchen to get some coffee. They were all in there except for Hotch, Rossi and strangely enough Garcia. The minute she walked in Morgan jumped up and handed her a cup of coffee with that rogue smile of his.

"No Morgan, I'm not going to tell you about it." JJ smiled back.

"Aww can't blame a guy for trying."

"You're a pig Morgan." Elle laugh good naturally.

"Oink Oink." Morgan smiled at Elle and then turned back to JJ, "Maybe you and me could go out sometime."

"Want me to give you some pointers, Morgan?" JJ laughed.

Morgan gasped in fake horror, "You wound me."

"I will if you don't stop." JJ paused, "And no I will not go out trolling with you."

"Well then," Morgan turned to Reid who had remained quite, "I guess you are still my wingman genius."

"Hooray for me." Reid said not so enthused.

Morgan was about to say something when Garcia came buzzing into the kitchen, "Woe girl, what's got you all crazy?"

"Found something. Need to talk to Hotch."

"What did you find?" Elle asked and took the folder Garcia was holding out of her hands and opened it to the first page.

"What did you find?" Reid asked.

"A name."

Garcia had wanted to be there for her best friend when she came out of Hotch's office. She had known about JJ for years. Then again Garcia had known about most of their secrets, and they all had them. It was her job really. There was a reason she called herself omniscient. She really did know everything, almost everything about the people she considered family.

It was her job to know.

It was her job to keep them safe, even if they didn't know everything she did for them.

They didn't need to know. It's what family did for each other.

Now however she was deep into researching into other murders that fit the MO they were working on. She was looking for something, anything that fit. Hotch had a hunch that these murders weren't the only ones. There were more. There had to be more. The UNSUB was way too good at covering…..apparently her tracks. These weren't her first kills.

She had searched back years and there were a few bodies here and there. Same MO. Same type of women. Blonde. Blue eyes….and gay.

Well most of them anyway.

Just like JJ.

It was spooky really. These women could have been JJ. Which was why they had become extra special watchful over her. It wasn't the first time she had fit some UNSUB's type but this time felt different for them, and they didn't know why.

And it scared them to death.

Garcia had been working for nearly and hour when she had found it.

A link.

A murder.

A name.

"So who is it then?" Morgan asked trying to read over Elle's shoulder.

Garcia paused for a moment, "Emily Prentiss."


	12. Chapter 12

"Emily Prentiss?" Morgan said trying to read the folder in Elle's hand.

Elle studied the folder and read through a few pages, "It says here she was born October 12th, 1972...oh boy."

"What is it?" Read asked worried.

"Her mother is Elizabeth Prentiss who besides the fact shares a striking resemblance to one of the women on Charlie's Angels, was an ambassador for close to twenty years." Garcia piped in.

"Which woman?" Morgan asked.

"Not the one you're thinking of." Garcia smiled despite the situation.

"Hey, how do you know that?"

"Because she knows you." Elle smiled and then looked up to see Hotch and Rossi enter the cafeteria. "We have a possible."

Hotch looked at JJ who had remained quite and noticed a strange look on JJ's face and made a mental note to ask her about it when things calmed down, "In the conference room now."

JJ was the last to enter the conference room but took her usual seat. She remained quiet and for the first time the rest of the group noticed but they like Hotch filed it in the back of their minds to get to when things calmed down.

"What else do we know about Emily Prentiss?" Rossi asked when everyone was seated.

Garcia handed out copies of the file to everyone, "She was born October 12th, 1972 in the Embassy her mother was working at."

"Where was her mother stationed?" Hotch asked.

"I couldn't find that out, but I do know it was in the Middle East, which is where Emily apparently spent most of her formative years." Garcia paused, "She did spend a few years in Italy though before returning to America for her senior year of high school before attending Yale."

"Why do you think it's her?" JJ spoke for the first time and everyone noticed she hadn't even opened the file which was strange.

"In 1987 she attended a school in Westchester, New York." Garcia paused, "Heather Brandon who attended the same school was found murdered stabbed to death outside the school grounds."

"It could be a coincidence." JJ said simply.

"She's right." Elle nodded, "Why do you think it was her?"

"Because the police did." Hotch said still reading though the file, "They even arrested her but her mother gave her an alibi."

Rossi snorted, "Ahh mothers."

Morgan snickered, "It says here that her mother took her out of the Westchester school and put her in another school in the city…oh wait two more bodies."

"It makes sense; if Heather Brandon was her first kill then it would be messy."

"She has a high learning curve." Rossi flipped through the folder, "the second kill was only a few months later and nothing lead back to her."

"There's more sir." Garcia paused, "She tried to enlist in the FBI twice."

"What happened?" Hotch asked.

"She failed the psyche."

"Let me guess." Elle paused, "She showed Sociopathic tendencies."

"Pretty much. Yeah."

"Alright then, we bring her in." Hotch paused, "Just remember her mother was an Ambassador, this could get ugly."

"We have to find her first." Reid said simply.

"Uhh, I might be able to help with that." JJ said not looking any of them in the eyes.  
\--------------------------------------------------------

Emily smiled as she saw JJ's name on her cell phone. They hadn't spoken in a few days because of their mutual responsibilities. Emily had had her yearly dinner with her mother and JJ had her work. Emily smiled at the thought. She wondered if they were any closer to figuring out who the killer was….the UNSUB….her.

Emily wasn't exactly sure if she wanted them to know or not…if she wanted JJ to know. A part of her wanted someone to see who she was; another wanted it all to go away and for her to spend the rest of her life with JJ. Emily wasn't sure what she felt was love, she wasn't sure if she was even capable of the emotion, she just knew she felt something for JJ…and that was new experience,

And she liked it.

"Hi JJ." Emily paused as JJ asked her if she wanted to do something later that night, "It was barely noon which gave her plenty of time to get ready. "Of course, what time should I pick you up?"

That's when it happened. The door came bursting in along with SWAT. Before she knew it she was down on the ground with her hands cuffed behind her.

"May I help you Agents?" She smiled as she looked up at a good looking African American male with a stone gaze.

"We have some questions for you, Miss Prentiss." Another older man asked.

"Well you could have just asked you didn't need the pony show."

"Sorry about that." The man smiled at her, "Do you mind coming to our office."

They knew. Emily was sure of it. It was just a matter of how much they knew and what they could do with it. Emily had no misconceptions; time was running out for her., the best she could hope for was her mother coming to her rescue which probably wouldn't happen this time. They didn't have that kind of relationship. If she did come it would be to save her own name, her own face.

"Sure I'd love to."

Emily smiled as she was put into the waiting police car. Things were about to get interesting.


	13. Chapter 13

She just sat there.

It didn't seem to bother her that her hands were cuffed to the table or that she was left alone in a small windowless room for almost a half hour. If you said she was staring into space you wouldn't be exactly correct because it wasn't space she was staring into. It was something else.

She just sat there.

She moved on occasion when she got uncomfortable in one position or another but for the most part she didn't seem a bit on edge. She was calm and relaxed. She was just waiting. There was no sense of urgency or worry in even the smallest part of her body. She was cool, calm and collected.

She just sat there.

Nothing about her mannerism or posture said anything about how she was feeling. She didn't twitch or blink or rub at the cuffs of her shirt and pants. There was nothing that gave away how she was feeling or what she was thinking. Even when a half hour turned into an hour there was nothing.

She just sat there.

"This is getting ridiculous." Morgan said angrily, "I say we go in there and sweat it out of her. I don't care who her mother is."

"You think that's the problem?" Rossi asked incredulously, "It's been an hour and she hasn't asked for an attorney or her mother."

"She's not worried." Hotch continued Rossi's thought like he was prone to do, "Going in there guns blazing won't work. She's not the type to sweat."

"I say we try anyway." Morgan said with barely contained anger.

Hotch and Rossi looked at each other and then at Morgan. Hotch nodded at Morgan who quickly went through the door before they could change there minds. "You know this will never work right Aaron."

"I know, but I'm curious as to how she reacts to him."

"Could be interesting." Rossi turned to the window, "And we'll break it up before they kill each other."

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

JJ sat in her office not sure what to do. She felt useless at the moment. She felt so many emotions she didn't no how to process them all. When Emily had been brought in she had expected condemnation from the woman but had not gotten any. Emily had stopped for a moment in front of her and just smiled.

It was a sad smile.

But it was a smile that held no ill will towards her. Emily didn't blame her in the least JJ was sure of that and that's what made her feel even worse. JJ wasn't what to think or what to believe. All the evidence pointed to Emily but it was all circumstantial. It was all based on what Garcia had found.

Emily's past.

And JJ so much wanted to be a part of Emily's future.

But if Emily was the UNSUB was that even possible?

Could Garcia be wrong? Was this all just one big mistake? Years from now would they all laugh at how they had once accused Emily of being a serial killer?

But Garcia was hardly ever wrong. There were too many coincidences for this to be a mistake. But the question that kept jumping around in JJ's mind was one that she couldn't find an answer to no matter how hard she tried.

If Emily was the UNSUB the why wasn't she dead?


	14. Chapter 14

"She's good." Rossi said to Hotch while watching Morgan interrogate Emily Prentiss.

"You expected her not to be?" Hotch paused, "She was raised by politicians in a war zone."

Rossi just nodded and the two continued to watch the scene unfold in front of them. Morgan continued to try to get Emily to break but the two men watching quickly realized he was getting nowhere. Eventually exasperated Morgan left the interrogation room. Hotch and Rossi didn't look his way when they entered the room they were in and the three men watched Emily sit there once again not moving. :Damn that girl is cold.." Morgan finally commented.

"Yes." Rossi said more to himself then to Morgan, "I'd like to go in there now."

"What for?" Morgan asked, "She's not going to tell us anything."

"I know." Rossi said simply and then looked at Hotch for permission and then walked into the interrogation room.

"What do you think he's up to?" Morgan asked Hotch as they both watched Rossi sit down across from Emily.

"Who knows?" Hotch paused, "I need to you to find Elle and Reid they are…." He paused for a moment, "talking to JJ."

Morgan nodded, "I hope she's ok."

"She'll be fine. She's strong." Hotch continued, "She needs to tell us everything she knows about Emily Prentiss. It's only a matter of time before she asks for a lawyer or worse."

"Worse."

"Her mother."

"Let me guess, not one of Charlie's Angels."

Hotch just grunted.

-55555555555555555-***************************************************

"Hello Emily." David Rossi smiled as he entered the interrogation room,

"Round two?" Emily smiled politely.

"Something like that." Rossi sat down on the other side of the table.

"Would it matter any if I told you that I didn't kill these women?"

Rossi looked down at the photos that Morgan at thrown onto the table. Some were still facing upwards some had turned downward. It seemed that Emily had no interest in any of them. She didn't seem to care about them at all which was fascinating.

"Then you wouldn't mind answering a few questions for me?"

"Of course not."

Morgan had gone the wrong route with Emily. He had tried to strong arm her into submission which would never work with her then again Morgan was a dominant alpha male personality and he was good at that. Probably better then the rest of them. When they needed a dominant male to interrogate a suspect sending in Morgan was a safe bet. However this time needed a bit more finesses which Morgan sometimes lacked. He let his emotion get the best of him at times and this time it cost him.

It was widely believed that psychopaths made the best profilers and if that was true then Emily had seen him coming the minute he walked in the door and acted accordingly. She had probably spent her entire life acting accordingly.

According to need.

According to expectation.

According to situation.

Now Rossi had to change the game. It would be like playing a chess game with a master. Some profilers waited their whole lives for someone like Emily Prentiss.

David Rossi had spent his career putting them away.

He was after all a master himself.


	15. Chapter 15

_If wishes were horses…._

That was the thought that kept going through her mind. It was a favorite expression of her mother's. She said it all the time when JJ was growing up and had wanted something she couldn't have. All those times JJ had wished for something her mother had said that stupid proverb she had never really understood until now. Her mother wanted what was best for her and wishing for something wasn't the way to get it. Just wishing never got anyone anywhere.

It was actions that mattered.

It was action that had gotten JJ on the soccer team that eventually led to a partial scholarship to a good college. It was her brains, cunning, and a little bit of flirting that got the bank to give her a loan so she could afford what scholarship wouldn't pay for. It was action that got her into the FBI with very little going for her. She wasn't a lawyer, a cop, or a soldier like most of the others in her class at Quantico. She even managed to graduate in the top ten percentile that too far more then wishing could ever bring.

JJ didn't make wishes she couldn't make come true. This time however she wished to whoever was listening that her team was wrong. That Emily Prentiss wasn't a cold blooded killer. She had never wished so hard that they were wrong before but she loved…oh god she was in love with Emily Prentiss.

She had known she had feeling for Emily, but love? That threw her for a loop. JJ wasn't the type to fall easily or quickly so this knowledge was disconcerting. She had talked to Elle and Reid for an hour about Emily and they had been supportive. They had asked questions that JJ would never have answered before…intrusive questions. She had almost felt like a suspect at one point and had lashed out at Elle. Elle had however calmly told her she needed to know and excused Reid. Reid didn't need to know about JJ's sex life. The two women talked for a little longer. JJ told Elle everything.

Everything.

She was in love.

She just wished things could be different.

If wishes were horses beggars would ride.

 

* * *

 

Rossi picked up one of the photos lying on the table in front of him, "We know how the UNSUB killed these women, we can even tell you when the UNSUB did it, what we can't tell you is why?" Rossi paused, "Why do you think?"

"I wouldn't know."

"Oh by the way, UNSUB it stands for…"

"Unidentified subject." Emily finished for him, "I know."

"Yes of course." Rossi smiled, "You tried to apply to the FBI twice."

"Yes."

"Do you know why you didn't get in?"

Emily snorted, "Apparently I test like a psychopath. Even mother's connections couldn't get past that little detail."

"What do you think about that?"

"Being a psychopath isn't a crime."

"Yes, but you lack empathy." Rossi began "You wouldn't know a genuine human emotion if you saw one." Rossi paused, "Then again why would you? I mean you've probably never seen one that wasn't put on for public display. You're entire life was a dichotomy of hot and cold running love."

"You have no idea what you're talking about."

"What?" Rossi huffed indignity, "You expect me to believe your mother loves you? She gave you hugs and kisses when the camera wasn't taping. She probably barely acknowledged your existence unless it suited her public image." Rossi paused again "I'm right aren't I? That's why you kill these women." He picked up another photo and then another, "they offered you love."

Rossi then threw the photos down in front of Emily one at a time, "They loved you, but it wasn't enough was it? It would never be enough because you don't know what love is. You just don't feel it."

"Stop it!"

"You stab them in the heart because that is the symbol of love, an emotion that is beyond your grasp. An emotion you can't fake. You can fake the rest. You've been doing it all you're life, but love…you can't fake love."

"No, it's not true." Emily shook her head and put it in her hands.

"What you can fake it? Of course you can." Rossi smiled, "You got those poor unsuspecting women to fall for you. What did you do? You could probably teach a class on seduction. But it doesn't change anything. You still don't feel it and you know they will figure it out eventually so its better to kill them before they do, am I right?" Rossi paused, "Break their hearts before you break their hearts? It's almost poetic really."

"You don't know what you're talking about."

"Then enlighten me."

"I didn't kill these women." Emily smiled but Rossi could see it was forced, "I did know this one." She pointed to the photo of Heather Brandon, "Then again you already know I was a suspect in her death, probably why I'm here."

"But you didn't kill her?"

"No."

"Then tell me what happened?"

Emily paused, "It was my first time in an American school. Its funny really, I was born in America by a technically only."

"American embassies are technically on American soil."

"So I was technically born in America, but I rarely saw the country itself except for photo ops and the occasional party my mother through." Emily paused, "I didn't fit in at all."

"It must have been hard."

Emily shrugged, "I managed."

"What did the fight with Heather Brandon start over?"

"A boy." Emily said simply, "She told everyone I had slept with him."

"And you didn't."

"No." Emily paused, "But everyone believed her."

That's when Rossi understood, "Including your mother."

Emily nodded, "She was in between embassies, and for whatever reason was taking an interest in me." Emily paused, "And with what happened in Italy, well…."

"What happened in Italy?"

"I got pregnant." Emily shrugged, "I had these friends and well one of them was nice and we just…it kinda just happened. After that well….."

"You had an abortion."

"Yes."

"Emily how do you feel about that?" Rossi asked genuinely interested.

Emily laughed, "I'm a psychopath remember?"

"Emily."

"Don't Emily me." Emily paused, "I was sad but it had to be done."

"And your friends?"

"One is dead now; overdose in case you think I killed him. The other is around somewhere."

"You don't keep in touch?"

"Why would I?"

Rossi nodded, "And Heather Brandon?"

"I disliked her, but I didn't kill her?"

"We both know that's not true, Emily." Rossi paused, "I think I understand now. She was your first and you killed her out of anger and realized for the first time what emotional release felt like. It must have been wonderful for you…to feel. What did you feel Emily?"

"I told you I didn't kill her."

"Yes you did, and you killed all the other too." Rossi paused, "You couldn't help yourself after Heather. She was an accident. The others, whatever they did or didn't do were just an excuse."

"No."

"You would have killed her too, you know?'

"No." Emily shook her head angrily knowing exactly who Rossi was talking about.

"She would have done something to piss you off and you would have killed her."

"No."

"I'm actually surprised you didn't do it sooner."

"NO!."

"You think you love her?" Rossi smiled, "You're a psychopath remember?"

"Stop it now!" Both Rossi and Emily were startled at the voice coming from behind Rossi. Neither of them noticed the door open, "This line of questioning will stop right this minute."

"And you are?" Rossi asked already knowing the answer.

"I am Ms. Prentiss' attorney. So unless you plan to arrest her we are walking out of here right now."

Rossi turned and saw Hotch standing behind the woman, "Hotch."

"She is free to go." Hotch said although Rossi noticed that he was trying hard to keep his temper.

The lawyer said nothing but motioned for Emily to get up which she did. Rossi knew exactly what had happened. One of Ambassador Prentiss' many contacts had called her telling her that her daughter had been arrested and now a lawyer was here to make sure everything disappeared. It had very little to do with Emily. The Ambassador still had career aspirations a daughter in prison would derail them but good.

"You know Emily this isn't about you." Rossi paused, "She isn't saving you. No matter how much you wish it to be true she isn't saving you."

Emily turned to him and smiled sadly, "If wishes were horses..." And then followed her lawyer out the door,

 


	16. Chapter 16

The knock on the door startled her a little. For a moment Emily thought it was the police or the FBI coming to get her but then she remembered her mother or more likely her mother's people had taken care of her little problem. Agent Rossi had been right, but then she knew he was right when he said it, her mother hadn't been in the limo that had been waiting for her. Instead one of her mother's assistants had been waiting for her. No mention of her mother was made. Elizabeth Prentiss wasn't brought up.

Then again why would she be?

Bringing up Ambassador Prentiss would bring her into Emily's sordid little hobby and no one wanted that, no siree.

Emily was tempted to ask if her mother even knew about her arrest but didn't bother. It didn't really matter. She had almost confessed. That infuriating Agent Rossi had almost made her confess and she didn't know how she felt about that.

A part of her wanted to kill someone.

Another part…..another part wanted to see JJ and make her understand.

Understand what she still didn't understand herself.

Agent Rossi had seen right through her, had seen into what passed as a soul in her and hadn't looked away. She knew why he did that. The fact that it was his job didn't matter. He actually cared about her, even if it was just long enough to catch her.

He cared.

That was more then her mother had ever done.

Her mother who probably didn't even know she had gotten arrested and probably wouldn't care if she did. Not unless it affected her and her job prospects.

Emily packed her bags as carefully as she could in the rush she was in. She was leaving tonight for parts unknown. It would be a one way trip, she knew that. Her mother's people would put her on a plane to anywhere but here and then she would be on her own.

She would never be able to come back, not that it mattered.

She had nothing to come back for.

Nothing except JJ.

And possibly Rossi.

The woman she could never really love and the cop who wanted to put her in prison. JJ was obvious but Rossi, it was strange counting him in the mix. Then again she was a strange girl.

She thought about going to Zurich or Cairo and she hadn't been to France in years. There were so many places she could go. So many places she could see. She had the money and language barriers were rarely a problem. She was young and apparently still free. She had almost finished packing when there was a knock on the door. She knew the smart thing to do was not answer it. The person on the other side would eventually go away. However she was curious. She wasn't expecting anyone and she was hoping that her mother had come to see her off.

So against her better judgment she opened the door, "JJ?"

"May I come in?"

Emily stepped aside but said nothing. She wasn't really sure what she could say. Seeing JJ was unexpected. Good but unexpected.

"You're leaving?" JJ said after a moment when Emily still didn't speak JJ continued awkwardly, "Why?"

There were so many ways that single word, that single question could be interpreted but it all came down to the same answer, "You know why."

JJ just nodded. They stood like that for a long time just looking at each other. Not quite staring but pretty close to it.

"Take me with you."

"What?" Emily hadn't been expecting JJ to say that.

"I can be packed in a hour." JJ looked into Emily's eyes, "Please I want to go with you."

"You can't." Emily said simply still looking JJ in the eyes.

"Why not?" JJ said almost sounding like a child.

"You know why not."

JJ didn't say anything she just nodded again. Emily expected her to leave or to yell but she did neither. Instead she came closer and kissed Emily. For a moment Emily wished she could love JJ because she wanted to. She would give anything to be able to feel what JJ was feeling, but she didn't and it made her sad. After a moment the kiss ended and instead of pulling away JJ put her head on Emily's shoulder.

"Do you feel anything for me?"

"Yes."

"The new warrant won't be ready until morning."

* * *

Without another word JJ walked out of Emily's apartment and out of her life.

JJ sat in her office trying to get some work done. It had been nearly a week since Emily had disappeared. Hotch had tried to get her to take some time off but she told him she wanted to work and he had understood. JJ was startled by a knock on her door.

"May I come in?"

"Oh course Dave. What can I do for you?" JJ smiled even though she was surprised to see him.

"I just wanted to see how you were doing." Rossi sat down in one of the seats across from JJ.

JJ smiled, "I'm fine Dave."

Rossi smiled back, "I'm glad. You know none of this was you fault."

"I know." JJ smiled sadly, "Why do you think…"

"No one knows for sure what makes a psychopath. It could have been her upbringing. Some people are just born bad. The irony is she probably would have made a good FBI agent. A good profiler." Rossi paused. " I should let you get back to work." Rossi got up and headed for the door, "There's a saying 'Don't cry because its over, Smile because it happened'."

"Who said that?" JJ asked.

"Doctor Seuss.." Rossi smiled, "Man was a genius, but that Cat in the Hat was a psychopath."

* * *

 

 

Emily quietly sat down in her seat as the train departed from the station. Things had been moving quickly since she had left the States. Not that it mattered really, Emily tended to blend. She was good at that. When she wanted to blend into the scenery she did. It made things easier that way.

However this time she did it for very different reasons. She hadn't had any conquests since JJ. She wasn't exactly sure why. She told herself it was self preservation but she knew different. There was something more too it then that, and she wouldn't take a new conquest until she figured it out.

Then again there was that blonde woman sitting in front of her. She had smiled when Emily had walked by. She would make a nice conquest. A new beginning.

"Is anyone sitting here?"

Emily looked up and saw a woman of African descent sit next to her. She spoke with an American dialect but these days you never could tell.

"Please sit."

"Thanks." The woman smiled, "I am new to the area just got a job through the local embassy as media director. Oh the name is Jordan Todd."

She held out her hand which Emily took, "Emily."

Emily smiled. Maybe this was a way to change things. A way to start over. A new type of conquest. Something new. Something different. Something to cultivate.

Something to make grow.

She couldn't have JJ she knew that but maybe she could have Jordon Todd. If she was careful, and maybe she could keep her.

"Nice to meet you." Emily smiled.

The two women continued to talk as Emily tried to ignore the flash of blonde in the seat in front of her.

THE END

_"Most things break, including hearts. The lessons of life amount not to wisdom, but to scar tissue and callus._ " Wallace Stegner


End file.
